Skolnity Ski & Bike Park in Wisła

Skolnity Ski & Bike Park is a year-round resort in the very centre of Wisła, on the north-eastern slope of Wierch Skolnity in the Silesian Beskids. In winter people ski and snowboard here, in summer they ride downhill bikes, and all year round you can ride the chairlift and climb the wooden viewing tower. The summit of Wierch Skolnity is called the “Roof of Wisła” here.

Viewing tower and treetop path

The tower is 38 metres high and stands at the summit, by the upper station of the lift. The structure is made of black locust wood, and no steel connectors were used in the joints. The tower is reached by a nature and educational path about 1,000 metres long, of which 350 metres runs directly in the treetops. Along it stand 12 interactive installations, “U źródła. Bajania wiślańskich górali” (At the Source: Tales of the Wisła Highlanders), which tell about the nature of the Carpathians and the culture of the highlanders.

The gradient of the path does not exceed 6 per cent, and the route has no steps, so families with pushchairs and people with limited mobility can use it. At the top there is a viewing terrace of 300 m2, whose protruding part is shaped like a hand.

What is at the upper station

Several places for families have been gathered at the summit: a brine graduation tower, an avenue of wooden sculptures made at sculpture workshops, a playground and an enclosure with alpacas and a donkey. A notable feature is a sculpture of a rombanica, that is an axe 11 metres long and weighing 4.4 tonnes, driven into a trunk; the resort advertises it as the largest axe in Europe. There is also an inn at the upper station. Not far away, in the valley, stands the Stanisław Hadyna Amphitheatre.

Winter on the slope

A four-seat Leitner chairlift, 800 metres long, with an elevation gain of 160 metres and a capacity of about 2,400 people per hour, carries people to the summit. The resort has two main downhill runs and the Penguin Meadow (Polana Pingwina) by the lower station, a learning zone with a 70-metre belt lift. A ski and snowboard school and equipment hire operate. We describe other slopes in Wisła under the Stok Ski Station in Wisła.

Bike Park in summer

In the summer season the slope turns into a Bike Park with 9 downhill runs of varying difficulty and training zones. The lift has hooks for hanging bikes by the frame or wheel, and staff help with loading. At the lower station there is a bike hire, a shop, a service point, a bike wash and a cycling school.

Practical information

• Location: centre of Wisła, next to the “Centrum” ski jump complex; the lower station of the lift is the main entry point.
• The resort belongs to the Pingwin Group and operates under the shared Pingwin PASS lift pass system.
• Operating hours of the lift, tower and runs change with the season, so check them on the resort's website before travelling.
• Nearby: the Adam Małysz Sports Trophies Gallery.